Thursday, June 7, 2007

Short Rows

Well, I'm not really going to write about short rows. I'm going to review a couple of books, as I promised Devon I would review them before her return. As she gets back tomorrow, I'm out of time! I never used Cliff Notes in school, but a cousin did, and "short rows" seemed like a nice, knitting-related fit.

First, there's Charmed Knits. There's something for everyone in here, whether it is by your skill level or your degree of addiction to things Harry Potter-ish. There are somewhat nonsensical, fun items like the wand cover (my names, not the pattern names), Weasley Jumpers, bookmarks, socks... I don't know how applicable they are to those not so Potterverse obsessed, but as I am also a member of a Harry Potter discussion forum, I can see myself knitting up a few of the patterns for my similarly obsessed friends. If you are into costumes, or have little ones into Harry Potter, there are some great knitting projects inside. There are other items applicable to everyone, like the bookmarks and hats, which could be striped in any two colors you like, a messenger bag that would serve any Muggle well, and much more than could easily be adapted to a non-Potter-ish function in your life.

The other book is Not Your Mama's Felting. You might recall that I selected it as my prize for a contest. It certainly broadened my felting horizons. I'm looking forward to sharing it with Anne while she's visiting, but it is NOT a book for someone looking for page after page of felting patterns to knit up. There's a cute idea for felting an old boyfriend sweater into a little, laced-up the back, fitted number. Then there are the felted soap balls, which appeal to me, because I love those little "vanity" soaps, but they are slippery, and they aren't so pretty after my hubby washes his hands with them after servicing the lawn mower or something of the sort... There are a few patterns to knit and then "full", but the first section of the book is just for generalized information about felting, needle felting, fulling, and more. Honestly, I'm not at all sure I would have purchased the book on my own, but it did challenge my rather narrow view of felting.